The Perfect Wedding Dress

Perhaps the most exciting part of planning the wedding, at least for the bride to be, is choosing her wedding dress. This is a once in a lifetime experience that you’ve probably dreamt about since you were a little girl, so naturally the dress has to live up to all of that hype and anticipation.

The process can be a bit tedious if you’re not well organized, so hopefully we can point you in the right direction with a few ‘picking a wedding dress’ do’s and don’ts.

Do: Start Looking Early

You’ve probably set your wedding date at least a year from the proposal so you have enough time, or so you think. Time can be a fickle friend during this period, and this is especially true when picking your dream wedding gown. As every little customization will take time, not to mention the time it will take to actually decide which dress to go for, it is wise to start shopping for it as early as possible.

Don’t: Go Looking During The Weekends

Weekend gown shopping can be very very crowded, with shop personnel having a hard time to keep up with all the customers. So a lot more waiting will be required, and this can add to the stress level of not having made enough progress in the hunt for the perfect dress. A wiser decision would be to go on a weekday if possible. Take a day off work and go shopping around noon so it’s considerably off peak hours. This way you’ll achieve two things: less stress, and more attention given to you specifically by the store staff.

Do: Set A Reasonable Budget

Let’s say you set aside $2000 to purchase your wedding gown. That’s great, but it doesn’t mean you can actually buy the right gown for that price, because once all the adjustments and customizations are made, the price will obviously go up. So keep this in mind and always look for a dress that is at least a few hundred dollars cheaper than your total budget. Also, by having a fixed budget you can also be ready to leave a deposit when you find THE dress, as most stores will require half the price being paid in advance to reserve it for you. Also make sure you save the receipt.

Don’t: Shop With A Big Entourage

It’s normal to want to bring several of your best friends with you during this most important search, but know that this can actually slow you down and actually make it more difficult to settle on the right dress. While friends will usually genuinely try to help, it is only natural for different people to have different ideas and expectations, and too many minds can create frustration and even confusion as to what it is you should be purchasing. Ultimately this should be your decision, so make sure you are with someone who has your best interest at heart and will help you out in the best way they can.

Do: Keep An Open Mind

While the process of finding the perfect dress can sometimes get tiresome, always keep an open mind. You might see an amazing looking dress that maybe doesn’t work so well with your style once you try it on. Or it could be the other way around, you could see a dress that doesn’t seem spectacular but once you try it on it really comes alive. This is why it’s important to expect anything and to try out different models, even the ones that might not seem that impressive at first glance.

Do: Move Around

Try dancing after trying on each dress. Try sitting down, see how comfortable it feels doing regular movements and so on. While the look of the dress is obviously of extreme importance, it also needs to be practical. You’ll be wearing it for a full day so it needs to be as comfortable as possible in the different instances you might find yourself during that day.

In closing, you should ultimately pick something that spells ‘you’, and you alone should have the last say in which gown to choose. One common mistakes brides make is picking the dress which others say is the best, and end up feeling uncomfortable and even miserable in it. Only pick a dress when it’s 100% you and nothing can change your mind about it, that’s how you know it’s THE ONE.